Our Schools in Naguake Program has established a community development framework for students and their families. It also identifies and instills cultural values and practices that will prepare them for their educational, cultural, social, and spiritual development. All our programs imbues students with a strong sense of culture and identity, and most important it involves them and their families in all our activities, decision making and problem solving.

Summary Report: Indigenous languages carry unique philosophies, histories, ceremonies, and irreplaceable environmental knowledge of biodiversity accumulated over thousands of years. The Taino language constitute both the core and the foundation of our Cultural-Linguistic Immersion Program. Since 2004 our Cultural-Linguistic Program has been drawing from works by linguistic anthropologists and established native language revitalization programs in the United States and Latin American. We have designed a linguistic revitalization program that uses teaching methods and materials that have proven effective in indigenous communities.

The Cultural-Linguistic Immersion Program was first implemented in Maunabo in 2006 with great success. In 2008 we graduated our first 40 students in the Program. This is the first graduating class of its kind in the Caribbean.

We still have a long way to go for our community to be fluent in our native language, but we have taken the first step in that direction; and the results are promising.

Fundamental Base of the Project

The fundamental base of the project is the revitalization of the Indigenous Taino culture and language; thought to be extinct since the 16th century. The centerpiece of the revitalization effort is the Cultural-Linguistic Immersion Program, which reached an enrollment of 508 students in five (5) regional public and private schools. The program is aimed at students between the second and fourth grades.. Over 75 percent of our student population come from low income household (generating income less than $10,000 per year).

These are communities with social and economic challenges, in particular many students with learning disabilities. The integration of the Program into the classroom students have the unique opportunity to engage in curricular and extracurricular activities that, according to teachers and parents, is transforming the students. Students with learning and behavior challenges show a remarkable improvement after the first workshops and activities.

The reason for this transformations is simple, the Indigenous theme captures their imagination allowing them to learn concepts stemming from history, culture, geography, language. In other words, the program penetrates the cultural fiber of both community and school, imbuing both with a new sense of identity and self, that empowers them with tools to succeed and meet everyday challenges. The hallmark of the program is that it creates learning paths allowing the student to acquire and process information more quickly; and in the process short-circuiting the sense of frustration and failure.

The Taino Indigenous Culture as Foundation

There are various reasons for selecting the Taino indigenous culture and language as the foundation for our school-community programs and activities. First, Indigenous cultures, including the Taino, are intrinsically connected with the land, environment, community and family. Second, the Taino cultures instills self-esteem, cultural identity, and infuses responsibility and respect for the Earth and all living things. Third, the Taino culture develops veracity and strength needed to overcome obstacles of daily living. Fourth, culture, in general, is the most important component in the formation of whole citizens, who are aware of their social responsibility, and who are focused on self improvement, community well-being, and environmental awareness. Experts on Indigenous cultures agree that these cultures promote the development of physical, intellectual and ethical capabilities. This has been the case of our school-community programs.

In 2009-2010 Liga Guakia Taina ke initiated a genetic testing program in participating communities in the southeastern region of Puerto Rico. The program had the objective of assessing the genetic ancestry of a representative sample of the population in the region. Over 95 percent of those tested participate in our cultural-linguistic revitalization program. Results from the 2009 genetic study reveal that 74 percent possessed indigenous genetic markers (Taino). The 2009 study was conducted with the collaboration of Binghamton University (Anthropology Department) (SUNY-Binghamton). Between 2010-2012 our community participated in the National Geographic’s Genographic Project. The Naguake Community was the community participating in this important international study. The Genographic Project was conducted to expand on the 2009 genetic study. Results from the National Geographic project reveal that over 67 percent of those tested had indigenous genetic markers. The presence of these genetic markers can be attributed to the fact that the rugged mountainous region of east-central Puerto Rico once served as a refuge area for Tainos fleeing Spanish conquistadores. Naguake members tested are descendents of this original Taino population. More information on our genetic study initiative can be found on the Guakia Taina ke site at: http://tainakepr.blogspot.com/.

Role of the Naguake School-Community Centers

Our Schools in Naguake Program converts participating schools in the focal point of academic and cultural activities, offering students and community members the opportunity to develop habits and skills, that in the long term will improve the quality of life of the community.

This program along with other programs created by Our Taino Land League (Liga Guakia Taina ke) help promote cultural traditions and values, many of which have been eroded by modern life styles. The programs are a sound response to the lack of cultural activities in schools and community.

All our school-community programs are rooted in multidisciplinary studies steaming from anthropology, ethno-history, culture, environmental studies, and geography. The success of these programs and activities are attributed to the multidisciplinary approach, designed, developed and perfected during the past five (8) years. During the trial and error phase of the project, different strategies have been created that can serve as model for similar programs in other parts of the US and the Caribbean, most notably in indigenous cultural-linguistic revival and revitalization.

Another indicator of the success of the programs are the response from teachers and parents, who have noticed changes in behavior and increased learning capabilities. In other words, the programs produce socio-cultural changes, that benefit both society and the environment.

In sum, our programs re-educate our young students regarding their indigenous heritage and offers a new perspective of the native culture of Boriken (Puerto Rico); making them part of this cultural-linguistic rebirth. The Tainos survived European colonization, our students are testimony of that survival.

“A society that cannot remember and honor its past is in peril of losing its soul” Vine Deloria (1994, p. 272).

Schools in Naguake: The primary goal and force of our indigenous cultural-linguistic immersion program is to re-establish the lost link to our indigenous traditional values and culture. We provide an environment where students are encouraged to excel within a safe and nurturing cultural learning environment. The students, by reconstructing their indigenous heritage and identity, become more aware of who they are, and in the process acquire constructive cultural values and traditional knowledge. The mission of the program is to teach positive traditional values rooted in our rich Taino heritage; to students disconnected with their ethno historical cultural past. The cultural-linguistic immersion program is the cornerstone of our community-school cultural revitalization program.

Since the implementation of the program in 2004, we have noticed its potential for changing certain behavioral patterns, particularly in children and adolescents. Our programs provide a healthy balance for children and young adults that are barraged by popular culture transmitted by television, movies and the Internet. Students that are well rooted in their cultural identity and adopt cultural values are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as dropping out of high school, disciplinary problems, absenteeism, substance abuse, unprotected sex, and delinquency.

Thus, we can think of Schools in Naguake Program as a cultural reeducation program, where students are reconnected to their cultural heritage and identity, and pick up healthy cultural values in the process. The first step in this reeducation process is teaching students them to be responsible and accountable for their decisions, behavior and actions.

The future of Naguake Community, as with other communities, depends on the behavior and actions of our future generation. Just as important is the ability of our community members to get along with each other and work together for a better future. The Naguake Program has proven to be an adequate response in dealing with both community and educational challenges of our school district, and can serve as model for other school districts in Puerto Rico.

Our eight year program of cultural-linguistic immersion in communities and schools has demonstrated that “immersion improves overall educational achievement, strengthens family ties, and increases retention rates, keeping students in school who might otherwise drop out.” While more research needs to be done on the academic advantages of immersion programs, our students tended to do well academically as well as behaviorally.

Culture:

Naguake Community uses our ancestral culture, traditions and customs as the guiding force by which we operate. We seek healing and restoration for both humans and Mother Nature; both have become contaminated by misguided, destructive and lucrative progress.

We achieve this restoration and healing using traditional indigenous knowledge; which teaches us to be good stewards of our land and caretaker of all living things. In order to accomplish this goal we need to explore our ancestral roots to learn more about who we are as individuals and as members of an indigenous based community.

Through culture we seek to heal not only body and mind but also spirit. Since this a cultural experience, all are welcome in the program regardless of religious convictions.

Naguake Guakia Nacan This is considered the hymn of Naguake Community. As with the Cry of Naguake, this hymn empowers youngsters. The hymn makes direct reference to the bateys and conuco (community farm) of Naguake Community in Yabucoa. The bateys and farm have become symbols of Taino cultural heritage revival.

Naguake is a community that is fully aware of their indigenous heritage and the Naguake Center, especially the bateys, offered them the opportunity to experience the Taino culture in a tangible manner.

Historic Photo / Foto Histórica: Naguake was born with the Community Walks in 1995.

The first Naguake Community Walks began in 1995 with hikes and backpacking to the highest peaks of the Pandura Range. This photo shows the first group of youngsters of the Pandura in route to Santa Elena Peak (1,700’ ASL). Today these youngsters are themselves parents with children entering El Guano School and Naguake Center. Naguake nace con las Caminadas Comunitarias en 1995.